Feelings of Not Mattering, Perceived Stigmatization for Seeking Help, and Help-Seeking Attitudes among University Students

Abstract

Previous research has linked feelings of not mattering to other people with mental health difficulties. While the link between feelings of not mattering and maladjustment has been extensively documented, little research has tested the possibility that this sense of not mattering is also associated with mental illness stigma. The present study tested the hypothesis that deficits in mattering are associated with perceived stigma and less willingness to seek help. We evaluated the associations among mattering, perceived stigmatization for seeking help, self-stigma, and attitudes towards seeking help in a sample of 140 undergraduate students. Our analyses confirmed that feelings of not mattering are associated with perceived stigmatization by others for seeking help. However, levels of mattering were not linked with help-seeking attitudes or self-stigma for seeking help. Overall, our results suggest that individuals who feel as though they do not matter may be especially vulnerable to perceptions of being stigmatized and this may promote a tendency for people to avoid seeking help and perhaps isolate themselves from others. Implications for intervention and future research are explored.